Therapeutic device

ABSTRACT

A THERAPEUTIC DEVICE FOR EXERCISING THE HAND AND ARM. THE DEVICE COMPRISES A CONTINUOUS BELT EXTRAINED OVER A PAIR OF SPACED APART ROLLS, AND A HAND ENGAGING GLOVE IS AFFIXED TO THE BELT. A FIRM SUPPORTING SURFACE IS PROVIDED BENEATH THE BELT UPPER RUN, AND THE BELT IS POSITIONED INITIALLY SO THAT THE GLOVE IS ON THE UPPER RUN AND THE PATIENT&#39;&#39;S LOWER ARM IS SUPPORTED BY THE SURFACE. THE BELT IS DRIVEN IN A RECIPROCATING MANNER CAUSING THE GLOVE AND PATIENT&#39;&#39;S HAND TO CURVE AROUND ONE OF THE ROLLS AND RETURN, THIS MOVEMENT ALSO EXERCISING THE ELBOW AND SHOULDER OF THE PATIENT. THE SUPPORTING SURFACE MAY BE PROVIDED WITH AN UNDULATING PORTION WHICH IS TRAVERSED BY THE GLOVE, THE DEVICE INCLUDING MEANS TO PRESS THE GLOVE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PORTION TO FURTHER EXERCISE THE HAND,

Sept. 20, 1971 v. F. suKLE THERAPEUTIC DEVICE mea oct. 1o, 1969 UnitedStates Patent O 3,605,733 THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Vincent F. Sukle, 26210Columbus Road, Oakwood Village, Ohio 44146 Filed Oct. 10, 1969, Ser. No.865,264 Int. Cl. A61h 1/02 U.S. Cl. 128-26 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A theraupentic device for exercising the hand and arm. Thedevice comprises a continuous belt extrained over a pair of spaced apartrolls, and a hand engaging glove is affixed to the belt. A firmsupporting surface is provided beneath the belt upper run, and the beltis positioned initially so that the glove is on the upper run and thepatients lower arm is supported by the surface. The belt is driven in areciprocating manner causing the glove and patients hand to curve aroundone of the rolls and return, this movement also exercising the elbow andshoulder of the patient.

The supporting surface may be provided with an undulating portion whichis traversed by the glove, the device including means to press the gloveinto engagement with said portion to further exercise the hand.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to therapeuticdevices, and more particularly to a device for exercising the hand andarm of individuals whose ability to move them is impaired.

The invention is particularly applicable to a therapeutic device forexercising stroke patients having paralysis in the hand and arm, andWill be described with particular reference thereto, although it will beapparent that the invention has other applications.

Devices for exercising the hands or limbs of a patient are known. It isan object of the present invention to provide an improved such device,and in particular to provide a therapeutic device which exercises theelbow and shoulder of a therapeutic patient as well as the patientshand.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide atherapeutic device particularly suitable for patients suffering fromsuch disabilities as paralysis of the hand and arm caused by a stroke,and arthritis in the hand and arm.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a device which isportable and which can be easily set upon a table or like surface.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a device which isinexpensive, simple in construction, and versatile or adaptable to useby different patients.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the inventionthen comprises the features hereinafter fully described, the followingdescription and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail illustrativeembodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but oneof the various ways in which the principles of the invention may beemployed.

`In such annexed drawing:

FIG 1 is a plan view of a therapeutic device in accordance with theconcepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the therapeutic device of FIG. l takenalong line 2 2, with a side plate of the device removed; and

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the therapeutic device comprises a continuousbelt 12 which is entrained over 3,605,733 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 a pairof spaced apart rolls, an idler roll 14 in the front of the device and adrive roll 16 at the rear of the device. The idler and drive rolls aresupported by a casing 18 having a generally at, rm arm supporting uppersurface 20 beneath the upper run 22 of the belt. A hand engaging glove24 is afiixed to the belt upper run.

Referring to FIG. 3, the casing 18 is a generally hollow member having aat bottom 26 adapted to seat upon a table top or other surface, theupper arm supporting surface 20, and a side 28 which is integral withthe upper surface 20 and bottom 26. A removable plate 30 is fastened tothe casing across the side opposite the side 28. This plate is held tothe casing by means of a pair of lower screws 32 threaded into bosses 34(shown in FIG. 2 in which view the plate is removed) integral with thebottom 26, and an upper screw 36 threaded into boss 37 (FIGS. 2 and 3)integral with the arm supporting surface 20 and on the underside of thesame.

Both the front and rear sides of the casing are open to receive theidler roll 14 and the drive roll 16, and also to permit movement of thecontinuous belt 12 around the rolls. The rolls are supported on shafts38 and 40, respectively, which extend through the rolls, both shaftshaving protruding ends which are engaged in slots 42 and 44 formed inthe front and rear ends of the side 28 and removable plate 30. The endsof the shafts of the idler and drive rolls are held in the slots by thetension in the continuous belt 12.

To maintain tension in the belt, a tension roll 46 is provided extendingacross the Width of the belt and bearing against the lower run 48 of thebelt. A pair of arms 50 support the tension roll at opposite ends of theroll, the arms being pivotably supported by means of bosses 52 onopposite sides of the bottom 26 of the casing. Windows 5,4 are providedin both the sides 28 of the casing and in the removable plate 30 toaccommodate movement of the roll 46. Tension springs 56 extend betweenthe arms and the bottom 26 of the casing to maintain the prerequisitetension in the belt 12.

The drive for the belt comprises a reversing drive motor 58 mounted on aprotruding boss 60 extending downwardly from the arm supporting surface20 of the casing. The motor is provided with a drive gear 62 whichengages gear face 64 on the drive roll 16. Preferably the drive roll isplastic, and the gear face 64 is recessed into the surface of the rolland molded integral therewith. In this way, there is no wear of the gearface on the belt.

It is desired that the belt reciprocate in a periodic manner, and thisis accomplished by means of a reversing limit switch 66 mounted at therear of the casing on side 28. The limit switch is engaged alternativelyby upper and lower pins 68 and 70 (FIG. 2) mounted on one end of thedrive roll. The lower pin 70 trips the reversing switch forcounterclockwise rotation, and the upper pin 68 trips the limit switchfor clockwise rotation, after about 270 of counterclockwise rotation ofthe drive roll. The pins are approximately apart to obtain this rotationof the roll.

The glove 24 is fixed to the upper run 22 of the belt in any knownmanner, such as by stitching the glove to the belt,` on by bonding itwith an adhesive. The glove need not be of any particular design, butpreferably is contoured to the shape of the hand, and is provided withan upper zipper closure 72. The glove may be either a molded resilientpocket, or it may be contoured and shaped to receive the fingers of thehand and to spread the fingers as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the gloveshould grip the full hand and at least part of the Wrist of the patientin a manner to hold the patients arm against the upper run of the beltand in a position so that it is supported by the surface 20.

The diameter of the drive wheel, and locations of the limit switch pins68 and 70 are such, with relation to the spacing of the glove 24 fromthe idler roll 14, to cause the glove to traverse a portion of the uppersurface of the casing and to curve around the idler roll a substantialdistance. In this respect, it is noted that the idler roll 14 is ofsubstantially less diameter than the drive roll to cause substantialbending of the fingers and hand.

Preferably, the arm supporting surface 20 is humped at '74 close to theidler roll. A pressure roller '76 bears against the upper surface of theglove exerting a downward force on the glove in a vertical planeslightly to the rear of the hump. Spring 78 (FIG. 2) acting on arms 80supporting the roller 76 provides the biasing downward force. The arms80 are pivotally connected to boss 37 by means of screws 36, 82, screw36 also being employed to hold the removable side plate 30 onto thecasing.

The purpose of the hump and pressure roll is to flex the fingers. Thisactivates the sensory perceptor nerves in the fingers which cause areflex in the finger muscles.

Although the invention is not limited to particular dimensions ormaterials, in a particular example, the drive roll is about four inchesin diameter and made of a plastic material. The motor for the drive rollis a high slip motor having a fixed speed of about 20 r.p.m. with a oneinch diameter pinion (gear 62) providing about forty` nine in. oz.torque, or about six pounds pull on the belt. The belt is of nylon, andhas a travel of about nine inches in each direction. About threerevolutions of the pinion turns the belt drive roll three quartersrevolutions.

In operation, the patients fingers are caused to be alternatelystraightened and bent, as well as exed by hump 74, and the patients armis moved back and forth with swinging at the elbow and shoulder.

Advantages of the invention should be apparent. For one, the deviceprovides an improved oscillating motion for preventing atrophy andshrinkage of musculature in the hand and arm, at the same timeactivating the sensory perceptor nerves of the fingers.

In addition, the device is portable, and easily set on a table top orother surface. The device is inexpensive to manufacture, is easilymaintainable, and can be used readily by dilerent patients. Forinstance, to remove the belt and replace it with another, having forinstance a different sized glove, it is a simple matter to remove theplate 30, withdraw the belt and replace it.

Other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. A therapeutic device comprising a continuous movable belt;

a pair of spaced apart rolls supporting said belt, the

belt defining an exposed run;

hand engaging means axed to said run; and

means to drive said belt in a reciprocating manner, the

travel of said belt being sufiicient that the hand engaging means iscurved around one of said rolls.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said hand engaging means is a glove.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said glove is zippered and contouredto hold the hand and wrist of an individual using the device.

4. The device of claim 1 including an arm supporting surface beneathsaid upper run.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said arm supporting surface includes ahumped portion adjacent said one roll, further including roller meansextending across the upper surface of said hand engaging means in theproximity of said humped portion, and means biasing said roller meanstoward said supporting surface.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said arm supporting Surface and bottomof said casing are integrally formed, further including at least oneremovable side plate by which the belt can be readily removed andreplaced.

7. The device of claim 4 further including a portable casing, saidcasing comprising a substantially dat bottom adapted to be set on atable top or like surface, said arm supporting surface beingsubstantially parallel with said bottom.

8. The device of claim 5 wherein said arm supporting surface except forsaid humped portion is relatively flat.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein said one roll is an idler roll, theother roll being a drive roll, the idler roll being of substantiallylesser diameter than the drive roll.

10. The device of claim 1 further including tension means engaging saidbelt.

11. A therapeutic device comprising a casing;

a continuous belt movable in said casing;

spaced apart idler and drive rolls supported by said casing around whichthe belt is entrained, said rolls establishing a belt exposed run;

an arm supporting surface beneath said run;

means to drive said drive roll to reciprocate said belt,

the distance of travel of the belt being sucient for the hand engagingmeans to curve around said idler roll;

the idler roll being substantially smaller in diameter than the driveroll;

said supporting surface including a hump portion adjacent said idlerroll;

means across the top of said hand engaging means in the proximity ofsaid hump portion; and

means biasing said last mentioned means in the direction of saidsupporting surface.

12. A therapeutic device according to claim 11 wherein said casing isportable including a bottom adapted to be seated on a table top or likesurface, said arm supporting surface being generally parallel with saidbottom; said housing including a removable plate along at least one sideby which said belt is removable and replaceable in said casing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LAWRENCE W. TRAPP, PrimaryExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R. 128-5 8

